Abstract:

The aim of this study is to examine and determine the perceived stress and family needs of the parents of children with mild intellectual disability, and to reveal the relationship between stress and family needs. The study was conducted with the parents of children who applied to the outpatient clinic of Selçuk University Medical Faculty Hospital, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department and were diagnosed with mild intellectual disability. The study, in which a total of 326 parents participated. In this study, the participants were given data collection tools; a questionnaire, a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) form, and a Family Needs Assessment Tool (FNAT) form, and they were asked to fill in themselves. As a result, it was found that mothers compared to fathers, the unemployed compared to employed ones; those who received psychological support compared to the ones who do not; single-parent families compared to two-parent families had higher levels of perceived stress and family needs. Primary school graduates had lower information needs and higher financial needs. Family needs and perceived stress levels do not differ according to the gender of the child. A low level of positive relationship was found between the family needs and perceived stress levels of the participants, and a low negative relationship was found between their income and family needs and perceived stress.

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